Menstrual calendar device



June 1950 w. R. WENZEL MENSTRUAL CALENDAR DEVICE Filed July 24, 1948 W041?. #1 4 254 IN 1' 'EN TOR.

Awe/n7 Patented June 13, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE MENSTRUALCALENDAR DEVICE Application July 24, 1948, Serial No. 40,521

v 2 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to a novel menstrual calendar device,adapted to indicate the occurrence of the commencement of menstruationduring a future period of time, upon simple adjustment or setting,determined by a known date in the cycle.

An object of this invention is to provide a novel and improved device ofthe character mentioned, which never calls upon the user to make anycomputation. With the knowledge of but a single date when a menstrualperiod had commenced, a setting is made in simple fashion. The deviceindicates future dates, readable at a glance.

Another objecthereof, is to provide an indicating device of the type setforth, of novel and improved construction,.which shows not only all thedates in the cycle for the calendar year, but requires no computation tobe made to determine the setting of the device for' the following year.It is deemed most practical that a single setting shall show the days ofthe ensuing year when commencement of menstruation begins.

A further object of this invention is to provide a device of the naturedescribed, of novel and improved costruction, which accounts for leapyears, requires no computation for the setting, or more than one settingfor any calendar year.

Another object hereof is to provide an indicating device of the kindmentioned, of novel and improved construction, and new mode of operationand functional relationship between its components, which is simple inconstruction, cheap to manufacture in various forms which may be verycompact and small in size convenient to be carried in a hand bag, easyto use and eflicient in carrying out the purposes for which it isdesigned, and adaptable for other purposes.

Other objects and advantages will become apparent as this disclosureproceeds.

In the accompanying drawings forming part of this specification, similarcharacters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the views.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of this invention.

Fig. 2 is a section taken at lines 2--2 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a modified form of a device, embodyingthe teachings of this invention. It consists of a pair of circulardiscs, pivotally secured at center. Other features of construction, willbe hereinafter fully set forth.

Fig. 4 shows a surface of one of said discs.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of another embodiment of this invention.

In the drawings, referring to Figs. 1 and 2, the embodiment showncomprises a casing indicated generally by the numeral i 5, which may bemade of plastic, metal or other suitable material, in which arejournalled two spaced rollers l8 and H, in parallel relation,frictionally engaged by an endless belt l8 carried on such rollers. Theshaft of one of said rollers extends exterior the casing and carries aknob I9 for turning same to move the said belt. The belt may be of anysuitable sheet material, as paper, cellophane, fabric or the like,having printed or otherwise shown thereon, thirteen aligned rows ofnumerals; all such rows being along the belt on the upper surfacethereof, and adjacent each other successively, across the width of saidsurface. The casing 15 has an opening or window 20, which extends acrossthe width. of the belt 18, and is so shaped or formed that it exposes toview, a line of numbers across the rows on the belt, as well as thenumbers in the first two rows only, in the line immediately following.

On the casing l5, at each row position, is shown the name of a month;the first being preferably a designation for January, the second forFebruary, and so on for the successive months of the year. Thethirteenth designation is for January of the following year.

Normally, the occurrence of menstruation is every twenty-eight days. Thenumbers therefore, in the January row at the left in Fig. 1, are theseries from 1 through 28, in succession. However, in the space with thenumeral 1 also appears the numeral "29; in the space with the numeral 2also appears the numeral 30, and in the space with the numeral 3 alsoappears the numeral 31. The numbers in successive months from left toright, are twenty-eight days difference, and at every appearance of 1there is also "29; at every appearance of 2 there is also 30" and atevery appearance of the numeral 3 on the belt IB, there is also thenumeral 31. Except that in the January row at the right in Fig. 1, thenumerals l," 2 and "3 appear alone, because the function of this row offigures isonly to indicate the date for setting the belt for the comingyear after the first twelve months shown.

In use, suppose a lady acquired this device and her last menstrualperiod commenced say, June 24, She will turn knob l9, until the numeral24 will appear in window 20 under the month marking June on the casingl5. She will therefore see at a glance that subsequent menstrual periodsif normal, will occur on July 22, August 19, September 16, October 14,and so on, and that for January of next year. she shall set the belt l8leap years, the readings from March through 1 -I'his invention iscapable of numerous forms December and the following January,-are in-asingle straight line, but the readingsfor the months of January andFebruaryimmediately preceding said month of March, are the figureson thebelt 18, which are in" the very next line whose January" is one numberhigher than the January in the March to .De'cember-1ine.

In Fig. 1, considering the year not a leap year,

and that the menstrual period for January is the" 7th, then subsequentmenstrual periods are shown in the straight line across the belt Hi, tobe February 4, March 4, April 1, April 29, May 27, June 24, etc. If theyear is a leap year, then the belt is set so that the reading forJanuary at the right in Fig. 1, say it is the 8th of January, is thefigure 8 at the lower edge of the enlarged portion of Window 2%), asshown in Fig. 1. Here, the readings for a leap year, Would be January 8,February 5, March 4, April the 1 and the 29, May 27, etc., asillustrated. Depending whether the year is leap year or not, woulddetermine the setting to be made for January at the left, of the beltl8.

Although mention is heremade of theftwentyeight day cycle, it is evidentthat thenumerals on the belt l8, may be for other intervals, for thepurpose mentioned, or as other uses of this device may dictate.

This device may take other forms of structure, as for instance theembodiment shown-in Figs. 3 and 4, where a pair of thin discs 2| and 22,in superimposed relation are revolvably joined by a rivet or eyelet 28at their centers. One disc 22, on its "hidden face has printed thereonin concentric lanes, the numbers appearing in the respectivelongitudinal rows along the belt, so that the lines of numbers whichappeared across belt l8, now are positioned along radial lines on disc22. The other disc 2|, is provided with a cut-out or window 23, along aradius and of a shape and for the purpose Which are akin those of window20. Of importance, of course, are the edges of the opening 23, indicatedby the numerals 23 and 23". Another embodiment is in the form as shownin Fig. 5, where the rows of figures appear adjacent one another alongthe surface of a ruler 26 or the like, over and along which ruler ismounted for sliding, the slide member 24, having a window or cut-out 25,similar to those herebefore described. The manner of operation of eitherof these modified embodiments, in view of explanation already given, isevident, and needs no further details.

As matter of nomenclature, rows of numerals may better be termed aslanes of numerals, because in several instances in each row, twonumerals appear in a single line.

andvarious applications without departing from the essential featuresherein disclosed. It is therefor intended and desired that theparticular descriptions herein shall be deemed illustrative and notrestrictive and that the patent shall cover all patentable noveltyherein set forth;

' reference being had to the following claims rather than to thespecific embodiments herein to indicate the scope of thi invention.

I claim:

1."In a device ofthe character described, a member having a surfacepresenting twelve lanes of numerals in parallel side-to-side relationand. a second member moveably associated with the first member, having asurface positioned adjacent thesaid surface of the first member andpresenting 'edges constantly across said lanes along numerals in oneline of two of said lanes and along the numerals in the line immediatelyadjacent said first line, of numerals in the remaining lanes; all thenumerals along said sec- 0nd line in allthe lanes-and the numerals ofsaid two lanes in the first line, being exposed to View at all relativepositions of said members; the numerals in one of said two lanes beingof all the daysof a calendar month and the numerals of all of the lanesalong therespective lines of numerals across the first member, bearing arelation ofa predetermined time interval; the surface .of the secondmember bearing indicia at each of the .lanes indicating the months ofthe calendar, year with the indicia for January at one or said twolanes. 7 d

, 2. A device as defined in claim 1, wherein said two lanes are thefirst two with the first lane at the indicia for January and thefollowing lanes at the indicia indicating the remaining months of theyear, in sequence.

. WILLIAM R. WENZEL.

REFERENCES orrnn The following references are of record-in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 784 ,2 7 2 Nagle Mar. '7, 19051,406,210 Murray Feb. 14, 1922

